A winery in Dundee, Oregon, has been fined more than $11,000 for violating job safety standards after a worker died on the premises in February.
The worker was found unresponsive in an empty 30,000 gallon wine tank at Corus Estates & Vineyards. Staff members and emergency responders were unable to resuscitate him.
An Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division investigation has since found that the worker asphyxiated when low-pressure nitrogen displaced oxygen in the tank. The nitrogen was being used to prevent wine remnants, including yeast and grape skins, from oxidizing.
Investigators said the winery did not adhere to safety standards for confined spaces that could have protected the man.
The agency, which goes by OSHA, fined the company on nine safety violations, including failure to test the atmospheric conditions of the tank and failure to train workers on the hazards of confined spaces.
“Every workplace death is a tragedy. And confined spaces are unforgiving. Employers must anticipate the risks and ensure that they protect their employees who enter confined spaces,” Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood said in a written statement. “When something goes wrong in such a space, it is already too late to address the problem.”